This application relates to conversion of energy of a mechanical motion into electrical energy.
Energy is a valuable resource. A variety of techniques have been and are being developed to generate energy from various sources, such as the coal, oil, natural gas, hydrogen, sunlight, wind, and ocean waves. Certain energy resources are limited on earth and are not renewable. Examples of such energy sources include the fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, and nuclear fuels such as uranium. The fossil fuels, uranium and other non-renewable energy sources will eventually be depleted on earth by continuous exploration and use. The consumption and use of many non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels and nuclear fuels are also known for causing pollutions to the environments.
In contrast, certain other energy resources, such as the sunlight, wind, and ocean waves, are practically unlimited in their supply and may be utilized in ways that can significantly reduce or minimize adverse impacts to the environments and the earth's ecological systems. Therefore, techniques, devices and systems for obtaining energy from various sources other than fossil fuels and nuclear fuels are desirable to preserve earth's natural resources, to reduce pollution to the environments, and to expand energy supply sources in order to provide sustainable energy supply to humans.
For example, the motion of water waves in a large body of water, e.g., lakes, rivers, and oceans, may be used to generate electricity. Oceans, in particular, have an enormous potential as a source of energy in part because oceans cover over 70% of the earth's surface and are estimated to have an annual capacity of about 2000 tera watt-hour in the surface wave energy alone.